The present invention relates generally to material processing machines and, more particularly, to a multi-functional tool assembly for a processing tool of a material processing machine.
It is known to provide material processing machines to reduce waste materials. For such a waste processing machine, the machine typically includes a rotor assembly for reducing the waste material as the rotor assembly rotates. An example of such a rotor assembly for a waste processing machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,003, issued Jan. 26, 1999, to Smith, entitled “WASTE PROCESSING MACHINE”. In that patent, the rotor assembly includes a rotor having a plurality of spaced pairs of mounting arms. The rotor assembly also includes a processing tool mounted to each pair of mounting arms. An example of a processing tool is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,845,931, issued Jan. 25, 2005, to Smith, entitled “MULTI-FUNCTIONAL TOOL ASSEMBLY FOR PROCESSING TOOL OF A WASTE PROCESSING MACHINE”. In that patent, the processing tool includes a tool holder attached to the mounting arms of the rotor assembly by fasteners. The tool holder has a pair of spaced arms extending radially with a tool for reducing waste product attached to one arm and a wear bar or raker for depth limiting guiding attached to the other arm. Typically, the tool is of a single cutting, bullet, or fan type having a head attached to a shaft by suitable means such as brazing. The shaft of the tool is extended through an aperture in the arm of the processing tool and secured thereto by a fastener such as a nut. The complete subject matter of these patents are hereby incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety.
Typically, the tool of the cutting type is used for cutting waste material and provides aggressive intake of waste material, but poor output of reduced waste material. The tool of the bullet type is used for splitting waste material to reduce it without cutting and provides aggressive intake of waste material, but provides poor output of reduced waste material. The tool of the fan type is used for impacting waste material such as grass and leaves to reduce it without cutting and provides poor intake of waste material, but provides aggressive output of reduced waste material.
An example of the above tools are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,210, issued May 9, 2000, to Smith, entitled “ROTOR ASSEMBLY FOR A WASTE PROCESSING MACHINE”. In that patent, the rotor assembly includes a rotor and a plurality of processing tools mounted to the rotor. The processing tools include a combination of at least two different types of tools to provide aggressive intake of waste material and aggressive output of reduced waste material in the waste processing machine. The complete subject matter of this patent is hereby incorporated herein by reference, in its entirety.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a multi-functional tool for a waste processing machine that will aggressively reduce waste material and aggressively output reduced waste material. It is also desirable to provide a single multi-functional tool and single multi-functional tool assembly in a waste processing machine for reducing waste material and aggressively outputting the reduced waste material. It is further desirable to provide a multi-functional tool and assembly which is keyed for proper orientation and prevents rotation of the multi-functional tool and assembly. It is further desirable to provide a multi-functional tool which is unitary and thereby reduces manufacturing costs of the multi-functional tool and assembly. It is still further desirable to provide a multi-functional tool and assembly that reduces disproportionate wear and maintains acceptable product life.
Accordingly, a need exists for novel systems which have, among other advantages, the ability to provide a single multi-functional tool assembly in a material processing machine for reducing material and aggressively outputting the reduced material. It is also desirable to provide a multi-functional tool assembly for a material processing machine that reduces or eliminates the material reducer from disengaging the processing tool when reducing material. It is still further desirable to provide a multi-functional tool assembly that reduces or redirects the shear force vector acting on the material reducer. It is further desirable to provide a multi-functional tool and assembly which is keyed for proper orientation thereby preventing rotation of the multi-functional tool and assembly. It is yet further desirable to provide a multi-functional tool which is unitary and thereby reduces manufacturing costs of the multi-functional tool and assembly. Therefore, a multi-functional tool and assembly that solves the aforementioned disadvantages and having the aforementioned advantages is desired.